askew

[ uh-skyoo ]

adverb

1. to one side; out of line; in a crooked position; awry:

   to wear one's hat askew;

   to hang a picture askew.

2. with disapproval, scorn, contempt, etc.; disdainfully:

   They looked askew at the painting.

adjective

1. crooked; awry:

   Your clothes are all askew.

askew

/ əˈskjuː /

adverb

1. at an oblique angle; towards one side; awry

Other Words From

• a·skewness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of askew¹

First recorded in 1565–75; a- ¹ + skew

Example Sentences

On Idlewild Avenue in Seminole Heights on Wednesday afternoon, a massive tree straight out of a children’s book sat violently askew on someone’s lawn, resting against a downed power line.

From Slate

Lane — the eldest member of the core group and its most magnetic — found writing in the midst of tour, in a familiar yet askew routine, to be a particular challenge.

From Los Angeles Times

But when classes started in the fall, I noticed something was askew.

From Salon

As he lounges on a hotel couch in New York, his hair typically askew, Burton, 66, recalls identifying with Ryder when he first considered her for the role of Lydia, who wears a black veil over her face and intones, “My whole life is a darkroom — one big dark room.”

From Los Angeles Times

However, while in Atlanta, the 19-year-old was criticized for her hair being “askew.”

From Salon

Related Words

• awry
• off-center